Coping, hope, and anticipatory grief in family members in palliative home care

This article describes an exploratory, cross-sectional, correlational study designed to examine the relationships among general coping style, hope, and anticipatory grief in a convenience sample of 61 family members of people with terminal cancer. The framework for this study was based on grief theory, stress and coping, and transitions (2). Data were collected by the Jalowiec Coping Scale (3), the Herth Hope Index (4), the Non-Death Version of the Grief Experience Inventory (5), and a background information sheet. Findings revealed that family members experienced individual anticipatory grief patterns. Women reported more anger/hostility and despair than men. Adult children, more highly educated family members, family members not living with the ill person, and nonprimary caregivers also expressed more anger/hostility. Multiple regression results showed that emotive coping and hope accounted for significant variance in despair, somatization, and loss of control. Emotive coping contributed significant variation in anger/hostility, whereas lack of hope accounted for variation in social isolation. Neither the general coping styles nor hope significantly predicted death anxiety. The findings provide a base for future research and nursing practice.